Field
The present disclosure relates generally to footwear and, more particularly, to footwear with closing mechanism permitting easy donning and doffing.
Description of the Background Art
A variety of different types of shoes have been designed to suit the different lifestyles and activities of people. Such shoes include flip-flops, sandals, mules, slides, clogs, athletic shoes, dress and casual shoes, boots, and even specialty shoes like soccer shoes, bicycling shoes, and dance shoes. Slip-on shoes such as clogs, mules and flip-flops are designed to be slipped on and off with ease and are particularly popular because they permit easy entry into the shoe without the need to widen a foot opening at the top of the shoe and because they generally do not have a heel portion which may require the use of a shoe horn. Shoes for active use generally include a secure closure mechanism such as laces, straps, etc. along the top of the shoe and are used to secure a user's foot against the heel of the shoe so that the shoe does not slip off the foot during the chosen activity. For example, laces or straps extend across the foot opening and can be tightened by the user to secure the foot within the shoe. Slip-on footwear is generally not suitable for active use because such closure mechanisms and heels are absent.
The elderly and handicapped often have difficulty donning and/or doffing shoes. While slip-on shoes such as clogs, mules and flip-flops can be relatively easy for the elderly and handicapped to don and doff, these types of shoes can be dangerous for the elderly and handicapped because they lack heels and thus tend to more easily fall off of the user's foot creating a tripping hazard. Shoes having a heel can be particularly difficult for the elderly and handicapped to don or doff, often requiring the use of a shoe horn or the like. The elderly and handicapped often need assistance donning and doffing their shoes. However, even for those providing assistance, donning and doffing the shoes of the elderly and handicapped can often be a daunting task utilizing currently available shoe designs.
Accordingly, what is needed is a shoe which may be easily and securely donned and doffed with minimum effort. The shoe should have a closing mechanism permitting easy donning and doffing.